Gothic Victoriana is usually right up my alley but somehow Collins‘ novel didn’t really catch me. It was a bit too slow paced for me and I had trouble connecting with the characters. It was an atmospheric story but something felt off for me and I unfortunately didn’t enjoy it as much as I had hoped.

Creepy, atmospheric, captivating!
What an unusual book, although I guess we expect that with this intriguing author. There were a few times I really wanted to yell at the page, and some very sad bits. But a rather brilliant book.

Did not finish.
Found myself in a wave of confusion. Couldn’t really work out what genre this was meant to tap into and the portion I read was a little dry in terms of interest.

After loving The Binding when I read it a few years ago, I was excited to read another book by Bridget Collins.
But despite enjoying the occasional gothic book I just struggled here. I ended up giving up when part three started.
The pace was far too slow, that I just could not get through it.
The characters didn't get my attention either.

Such an original and gripping story from Bridget Collins. Haunting, engaging and beautiful. The last 20% of the book felt a tad rushed and the pacing could have been better but all in all it was a great read.

It is so difficult, when The Binding was such a perfect book, to then judge any of Collins’ subsequent books without making comparisons. The Silence Factory is a gem of a book, full of gothic atmosphere and beautiful writing. Unfortunately, the dual timelines does mean that neither are afforded the depth that would have really taken this book to the next level. I long to know about Sophia’s last days (weeks? months?) at Telverton; and indeed, more about her relationship with Hira. Unfortunately, we lose a fair bit of this story so that Henry’s might unfold in more detail (and even his is slightly unsatisfying). Overall, I’m always happy to have read a Bridget Collins; as in The Betrayals, I do miss the love story being at the centre but that is just a personal reference. I suppose I was also waiting for a big twist that never came? And in that, a potential for magic is lost…

I think this is more of a 3.5 for me. It’s much better than The Betrayals, but not as good as The Binding. Will I continue to read absolutely anything that Bridget Collins releases? Absolutely.

What a dark gothic read and to be honest I found it took me a while to get into, mainly because I do have a bit of an irrational fear of spiders, but if you are the same, please do stick with it. After reading for about half an hour, I suddenly found myself so totally engrossed in it I ended up reading late into the night. And as for the spiders, I was actually feeling really sorry for them, we humans really can be very selfish. Told in two timeline and from two POV’s, those of Sophia Ashmore-Percy in the form of her diary in the 1820’s and some years later Henry Latimer an audiologist who goes to visit the wealthy and obsessed Sir Edward Ashmore-Percy to help his daughter.

Briefly, in the past, Sophia has travelled with her overbearing and very unpleasant husband to a Greek island to meet a friend who has made an amazing discovery. However, when they arrived his friend has died, and it’s only with the help of Sophia, and her friendship with Hira, that he finds what he is looking for. Now, after unsuccessfully treating Sir Edward’s daughter Henry’s is surprised when he’s asked to stay and help with Sir Edward’s business. Edward makes silk from threads of spider silk, which has magical qualities, one side shields sound bringing total silence. However, the other side makes strange noise with terrible and disturbing effects for those who hear it…

I was completely enthralled with this book, it’s beautifully written and very descriptive with an original and magical story. A wonderful cast of characters, the women were more likeable than the men, by and large, with the exception of Henry who was a bit weak and gullible but certainly not evil. The conditions in Sir Edward’s factory are truly terrible but probably no worse than those in many Victorian factories where the products import vastly outweighs the care of the workers. A very entertaining read which goes from gentle gothic to chilling horror but completely compelling. Can I just add well done to the cover designer, brilliant… and I still don’t like spiders!

4.5⭐️

On paper The Silence Factory - a gothic piece of Victoriana with a creepy otherworldly vibe - should be catnip for me. Sadly it didn’t gel and I’m struggling to say why not. All the pieces are there, but I really found it hard to engage. My usual approach is to set a book aside and return after a brief break to read a classic (Margery Allingham this time), but on returning it still wasn’t happening for me. It’s ok, but I’ve read much better with a similar vibe just recently - The Shadow Key for one.

*Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction | The Borough Press for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review*

WHAT. A. RIDE.

I mean this blew my mind! I haven't read any other works from this author, but I'm gonna. I mean it was a gothic/horror tale weaved in, well, silk. Even though silk is by itself a very unique cloth, to actually have a side magical aspect? BRILLIANT!!!!!

I loved it and I can't wait to read the author's other works.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was not familiar with any of this author's previous works and a lot of elements of it aren't things that usually work for me, but I was pleasantly surprised.

This is a kind of gothic fantasy based on the premise of a type of spider, found in Greece and imported into the UK, that spins a silk that can either eliminate all sound or reflect sound back (leading to madness and other illnesses of the mind and body).

The reason I am rating 4 stars rather than 5 is that there were aspects that I think could have been explored more with some of the side characters, there was a lot of leaving the reader to guess and fill in the blanks but I personally prefer it when things are spelled out a little more, I prefer to know exactly what the author was envisaging. Also it feels a little bit like the incident which resolves the entire plot is too deus ex machina for me to really embrace it.

This book is released in a couple of weeks' time on 9 may.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

This is a dark Gothic mystery, entranced with fantasy themes that slowly develops in an eery, unsettling story of control and subjugation.
I loved previous Collins' books and was really looking forward to this one, but I felt the story was very slow to develop and it struggled to hold my attention. The characters were all a bit flat and I didn't really feel much towards them.

What I really like, was reading Sophia's story in diary form. Her accounts of events was very engaging and creepy, and I would have liked to see more of that, as those sections really caught my interest. Weirdly, I also liked the ending, as open-ended as it was. And of course, Collins' prose and world building were, as always very good.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

"The Silence Factory" is a historical novel, with gothic overtones, written by Bridget Collins. A bewitching, dark and mysterious book, developed on two different timelines, embellished by refined and researched prose. I was captivated by the beautiful evocative settings, the more eerie nuances of the tale, but on the other hand I admit I felt nothing for the characters. I don't know, I found them rather superficial, underdeveloped, and this prevented me from bonding with them. A pity because, excluding the characters, I really liked the book a lot!

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Overall, this is a while written Gothic mystery that immediately draws you in. It was interesting to see the dynamic between Sophia and Hira grow and develop. This was a cool and different read for me!

The Silence Factory by Bridget Collins is a beautifully written gothic novel that just like the spiders featured in the story, completely captivates you.

Told from the perspectives of two characters in two different timelines this is an eerie tale steeped in mystery and one of the most unique historical fictions I have read. The main feature and driving force of this story is the silk soured from spiders that has the ability to completely silence sound but also manipulate soundwaves that in turn can manipulate the mind the body. I loved this concept and found it absolutely fascinating to read about because I've never seen anything like it before. I found myself eager to keep reading and like our main character Henry, became enamoured with it.

Bridget Collins had a beautiful and skilful prose throughout this novel that made this an enchanting story to read. The descriptions were so vivid that the setting easily lifted off the page and there was a constant feeling of suspense woven throughout her words that really built this into a truly gothic tale.

I did find the ending a little too open ended for me, I just wanted a bit more so I didn't feel left with so many questions. Other than that I absolutely loved this book and would highly recommend it to any historical fiction fans out there!

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of this book.

I loved the Betrayls and the Binding so was super keen when I saw this at an available on net galley .

A mild gothic thriller which at time completely blew my mind , I mean imagine a spider who’s silk was so powerful it plunges your world into complete silence a dark eeery creepy and actually scary world …

Makes me shudder just thinking of the possibilities!!

Dual POV .. Sophie who is under the control of her powerful husband in 1820’s Greece wanting to seek out said magical spider and Henry who seeks to impress and work alongside Edward and quickly becomes obsessed with the spiders ….

Slow at times but again another brilliant book …

Thanks to netgalley for the opportunity to read this arc

A most unusual and original storyline. The reader is drawn into a world of Silence that contradictorily seems full of oppressive noise.
The story is populated with unusual characters throughout; all with strange stories of their own.
A most intriguing read and towards the end of the story, the pace picks up as those in thrall to this Silent world begin to rebel and the intent of those in charge becomes almost dystopian.
The end of the story left me hanging on a thread myself. I wanted there to be a more defined ending for Latimer but maybe the Author intended for the Reader to weave their own ‘happy ending’ for him as he is a complex character.
If you like something a little different, this is one for you.

"The imposition of silence on oneself may be a good; but the imposition of it on anyone else is always an evil"

After losing his beloved wife in childbirth, Henry Latimer is lost in the world. Moving to Telverton to help a wealthy gentleman's deaf daughter, Henry thinks he's found his fresh start. What he finds is a place full of secrets and lies, which drives him to despair.

Bridget Collins' previous book The Binding is probably one of my favourite historical fiction books, however this one didnt quite grab my attention the same way.
Some parts of the storyline felt unfinished and unanswered, and I felt some parts were quite slow. I loved Sophia's POV in this book and would have loved more of her story. What did stand out is the beautifully descriptive way Collins writes, which I wholly enjoy.

A dark Gothic mystery written over two timelines. The slow pace and the intense atmosphere were not enjoyable and I failed to finish.

Loved this latest offering by the author of the Betrayals. It was dual POV, beautifully characterised, Gothic and just a little bit disturbing. As always, Collins kept me hooked until the last word. Victorian melodrama with a touch of Victorian adventure fiction. Loved it.

After reading ‘The Binding’ and ‘The Betrayals’ it is obvious when reading ‘The Silence Factory’ that this is a Bridget Collins novel, it has the same gothic atmosphere in which Bridget creates fully rounded and intriguing characters.
There are two timelines in the novel. The first is set in the 1820’s and provides the historical background to the main story which, set in the late 1800’s, introduces us to Henry Latimer the protagonist. Henry is an audiologist who is living a drab life and still mourning the loss of his wife and daughter in childbirth when he meets Sir Edward Ashmore-Percy. His life changes forever when he joins Sir Edward in his quest to help produce a cloth which will revolutionise society.
Things do not turn out well for Henry in this dark and mysterious novel.
A compelling read which I enjoyed immensely.